PAULA ABDUL`S `FOREVER YOUR GIRL` TOOK ALMOST FOREVER TO MAKE

Jan DeKnockCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Three weeks ago, the hot teen group New Kids on the Block made news by hitting No. 1 with one of the slowest-rising albums in chart history. That record, ''Hangin` Tough,'' took 55 weeks to hit the top spot, making it the

Now there`s a new name in the record books. This week, singer/dancer Paula Abdul`s ''Forever Your Girl'' LP finally moved up to No. 1 after months of Top 10 success and an incredible 64 weeks on the charts. Contributing to the album`s jump this week is the success of Abdul`s ''new'' single, ''(It`s Just) The Way That You Love Me,'' which didn`t do much on the pop list when it first hit the airwaves last year but now is already No. 39 in its third week as a re-release.

Over on the singles charts, it was a mixed week for Madonna, whose

''Cherish'' (up from No. 4 to No. 2) lost a hot duel for top pop honors to Janet Jackson`s ''Miss You Much,'' which, thanks to a big jump in record sales, moved all the way from No. 5 to No. 1. There was better news for Madonna on the adult contemporary list, where ''Cherish'' took just seven weeks to become champ.

Next week, look for those two songs to battle it out again, because

''Cherish'' is still ahead of ''Miss You Much'' in radio airplay and could put some pressure on the leader. There are no other challengers in this week`s Top 10, though the Rolling Stones made a nice move with ''Mixed Emotions'' (up from No. 12 to No. 6).

But the biggest chart fireworks were provided by those red-hot New Kids, whose ''Cover Girl'' single skyrocketed from No. 31 to No. 19 in just its fourth chart week. The Kids currently have three songs in the Top 40, with another song on the way up (''Didn`t I'' at No. 38) and a former No. 1 on the way down (''Hangin` Tough'' at No. 36).

This week`s pick hit is ''Don`t Know Much,'' a killer ballad that would have had a great chance for chart success even if it wasn`t Linda Ronstadt`s first pop release in years. But pentup demand for contemporary Ronstadt music should result in a quick trip to No. 1 for both this duet (with Aaron Neville) and for her new album, ''Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind.''